Reviews

The Iliad by Homer, Geoffrey S. Kirk

sage_elaine's review against another edition

4.0

Emily Wilson the woman that you are
(the audiobook is great. Audra McDonald you will always be famous)

bradleyfrederick's review against another edition

3.0

This book was not at all what I was expecting. It starts during the last part of the siege of Troy and ends with a main character’s funeral. A majority of it focuses on fighting which is interesting for 50 pages or so but then starts to drag on. However, the political feuds between the Olympian Gods is the only reason I gave this book three stars. Their dynamic and constant attempts to subvert each other proved to be enough to pull me to the end. I was overall disappointed with this book, but that being said I would neither recommend nor discourage anyone from reading it. Despite its short comings, the Iliad still holds merit and is deserving of its fame.

sball22's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Epic essay from me on gendered experiences of grief and mourning in the Iliad is coming soon to an english class near you... keep on the lookout

whipson's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

saracosk's review against another edition

will pick up again later but don't want it in my currently reading

authorcagray's review against another edition

I was reading this aloud with my husband, when finally he observed that I DID NOT CARE and said he would finish it without me.

Synopsis: some guy you've never heard of kills some other guy you've never heard of (by piercing him through the nipple, more often than not... there was a definite nipple fixation). But in the midst of the same paragraph, we're told all about the dead guy's back story, the unpronounceable names of his father and seven of his closest friends, some exploit he went on at one point that we've also never heard of and now will never care about because FROM THE MOMENT OF HIS INTRODUCTION, HE'S ALREADY DEAD.

Repeat. Ad nauseum.

Honestly, I would have thought Homer got paid by the word or something. But I guess writing anything down that far in antiquity was an accomplishment... not like he had any competition. (But the Odyssey was still MUCH better.)

ra_book's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

marissa_atherton's review against another edition

5.0

I really liked this translation (especially after hearing about some other weird ones, with Greek and Roman names used interchangeably).

Through this work, you see the humanity as well as the transcendent truth (to steal a phrase from Angelina Stanford).

It is also impressive that one could go on for 400+ pages describing a battle.

objectivus's review against another edition

5.0

Finally read this.

gormengusto's review against another edition

4.0

so. so gay.